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Obstinacy Is A Virtue In A Life With Chronic Pain

I love that word obstinate. To me it stands for stubbornness, willfulness and determination. If you’re heading into a battle, these are handy virtues to carry along. I realize it can be irritating to be the parent of an obstinate child. As many of us know, it can also be difficult to be married to a stubborn person. There are, however, times when this can be the greatest of all gifts, a virtue, actually. I think my favorite mental picture is that which is evoked by the synonym “mulish.” Can’t you just feel the heart in that word, mulish, thinking about that little mule, stubbornly, steadfastly and boldly standing or sitting firmly, refusing to move. When he’s ready, then, and only then, will he move.

Some of us are just naturally born obstinate. Hands on hips, lips curled, nose piqued and knees locked we stand against life. It can make us a real pain in the old tush for our families and those who cross our paths in life, but it sure can come in handy when we need to stand up to actually and very realobstacles.Persistence will take us much farther than self-pity and giving up is usually not an option for those of us who are tenaciously stubborn. Yes, I plead guilty of that virtue. Virtue?

One of the most frustrating, maddening and often perplexing barriers in life are those with our health. Of course, self-pity has its place when we must grieve for our lost health but eventually, when our tears dry, we have to go back into the battle. Today I’d like to share with you one of my favorites among the many fables of the ancient bard Aesop.

THE CROW AND THE PITCHER

Once there was a thirsty crow. She had flown a long way looking for water to drink.

Suddenly she saw a pitcher. She flew down and saw it held a little water, but it was so low in the pitcher that she could not reach it.

“But I must have that water,” she cried,
I am too weary to fly farther. What shall I do? I know! I’ll tip the pitcher over.”

She beat it with her wings, but it was too heavy. She could not move it.

Then she thought awhile. “I know now! I will break it! Then I will drink the water as it pours out. How good it will taste!”

With beak and claws and wings she threw herself against the pitcher. But it was too strong.

The poor crow stopped to rest. “What shall I do now? I cannot die of thirst with water close by. There must be a way, if I only had wit enough to find it out.”

After a while the crow had a bright idea. There were many small stones lying about. She picked them up one by one and dropped them into the pitcher. Slowly the water rose, till at last she could drink it. How good it tasted!

“There is always a way out of hard places,” said the crow, “if only you have the wit (and obstinacy) to find it.”

Let us all resolve to be stubborn, mulish and pig-headed as we face down a life more difficult than most. Let us take pride in the obdurate life as strength is called for in the most difficult of times. It doesn’t really matter much if we have those traits in a life of daisy chains and sunshine but they are sorely needed when we need to “reach water” and have to figure out a way to do it. Don’t give up my dears. Life is worth the battle, even if it often doesn’t feel worthy of the battle. Tomorrow will be different. Yourhuman spirit, your will, your faith and your hope in rough times, and yes, your obstinacy; these are everything. I know they are my weapons a I do battle everyday in this quest for comfort, relief and existence with my own health.

AN UNLIKELY PLACE FOR COURAGE

Where do you find courage?

On a battlefield in war?

On the streets of a vast city

With its violence unscored?

Is courage just in movies

Or only found in books?

Does it have to be dramatic

Your life in tenterhooks?

Courage sometimes falls,

Quietly descending

Like a snowy mantle

Protective,insulating.

Do we seek to find courage?

Or does it indeed choose you?

Is it something you’re born with,

Or what you learn to do?

Life never runs too smoothly

No matter who you are.

There are times when each of us

Could use a lucky star.

What if the roots of courage

Already grow within?

Defining our definition

Of hero or heroine?

Sometimes courage hides

In some unlikely place,

Exhibiting itself

As a quiet act of grace.

The young mother who

Stumbles out of bed,

Half a dozen times

To touch a feverish head.

A father who works overtime

To provide his families needs,

A wounded soldier coming home

Life changed by war’s foul deeds.

Some of us need courage

Just to face each day,

We utter up a prayer, “Dear God,

I can’t live this way.”

We say, “All hope is gone,”

Butit is just in hiding,

It lies in the dark, hidden by fear

Yetstands firmly,guiding.

Somehow strength wells up,

Sorrow replaced by joy,

Courage and hope,

Life cannot destroy.

Hang onto your courage my friends because you have it, I know you do. If yours is currently in hiding, trying sprinkling it with hope and you might be surprised at the results, my fellow warriors.

Janet
Stubborn is stubborn, no matter which word you use for it, lol. But it amounts to a character trait that gives strength when needed, and staying power when others quit. To survive, a lot of us women have had to be really deep rooted in this trait. It’s been a rough ride sometimes !
Love ya
Tonie

Janet, I am always pleased when you can relate to my experience. It is a good virtue, whatever name it goes by. A mule by any other name is still a mule. Just think of it..a whole word in our lexicon just because that animal is stubborn. Stay that way dear friend, it’s working for you. Love you, Sue

Higher perspective, I’m sure Tonie will be glad to see you like the picture she chose. It wasn’t me. I just wrote the blog. Always good to hear from you and hope your blog is being read a great deal. Hang in…Sue

Sue
So many of us would never have survived without the stubbornness necessary for the moment. It is rough raising kids on your own. Working in a world that demands more of us on less pay than a man. That was our world. Then get hit in the face with these diseases that took away our abilities of working. But I thank God for giving me the strength to continue on. For all the ways I have improved through exercise and moving, new meds, and friends like you. All of youon this blog, over the years. How much strength and stubbornness have we shared ? Knowledge is a wonderful thing. And we have shared much of it as well. So to start off the New Year, let’s resolve another year of doing it together again.
Love
Tonie

Tonie, it is interesting how many experiences we all share, losing jobs, etc. The pain every day is of course the most common. Some of us have learned to be stubborn over the years of suffering by fighting back whereas others of us are just born that way.
As far as the coming year, I plan to write my blog for as long as I am able to. After that,, . it will live on online just as the articles/blogs I wrote for seven years for everydayhealth.com are still posted there. Truth is truth and always rings loudly and clearly in the heart. Love you gal and hope you are recovering from the overdoing required by the past holiday. Sue

Sie dear. Your wit, wisdom and willingness to share will never cease to amaze me. You are one of a kind, and I am grateful to have you as a friend. I hope the new year will see your health improving day by day, exponentially. Hugs to you.

Phyllis, now wouldn’t that be nice if I began to feel improved. That would require a miracle with the diagnosis I have but I still believe in them. That’s how I got this far, I believe. As far as my wit and wisdom; I was born a smartass but the wisdom came to me the hard way, like everything worth while. I do wish there was an easier way to achieve it but alas…I am sure you would agree about that from your own experience you beautiful woman. Love ya , Sue

Coventwmn, Good for you and I believe it is true for so many of us. It’s a matter of balance and proves the old adage…Mind over matter and yes, we matter. Giving up is often tempting but thankfully the urge only last for awhile then flees. Welcome to my blog and I hope you will return and read a few of the older ones. Been at this for 13 years now, first years being on everydayhealth.com. Just Google me for any more. Prayers and hopes for your continued health and perseverance. Come again, you are always welcome, Sue

What a great blog
I was that awful child who used to stamp their foot to get what they want
Just after the war when grapes were just coming into the shops over here…that’s what I wanted…my mum tried all manner of things even messy ice cream..but in the shop ..there was me stamping my foot saying….I want grapes….
I always remember my mum said the assistant told her, an embarrassed mum ….that will serve her in life when she’s older
I don’t remember this but was told….and so it has..I had a book too on easops fables
Well that’s as much as I can manage
Thankyou sue and tonie for your prayers I must say I do feel relaxed about it
Tomorrow morning is when I see the specialist
Hate the fiddling with the eye as it’s the weakest one anyway with the sjogrens
Chris

Chris dear, I can just envision you as a little girl stomping her feet in a shop. I used to do that when I had to have my picture taken. There are no pictures of me as a little one without my arms crossed in defiance. That’s why my three older sisters nicknamed me “Brat.” My sister who is still living who I mentioned recently has a birthday today, and is eight years older than I and her nickname was “Pill.” She told me the other day it was so good for me to call her that on the phone. No one calls her that anymore.
The old fables are so filled with wisdom as well as fun. Secrets within secrets…Thinking of you tomorrow. I so understand about having your eyes messed with. Love you much and empathize so much right now. Sue

Stubborn? Me? Persistant, tenacious, whatever you choose, guilty as charged. I know, hard to imagine. I do think is serves us quite well in this life, Sue. Quite well, indeed. What a timely (for many of us), and good read. I thank your stubborn ol’ self. Hugs, my friend.

Lyn
I always loved those fables. THey hold and held so much meaning, and always the morals that I was raised upon. And yes, I too can be stubborn, as a mule !!! A mule will dig in the feet and hold firm no matter what you do to make them move. I think women, in general, HAVE to have that in order to deal with hubbies, children and life in general. Don’t you ?

Stubborn? Me? Persistant, tenacious, whatever you choose, guilty as charged. I know, hard to imagine. I do think is serves us quite well in this life, Sue. Quite well, indeed. What a timely (for many of us), and good read. I thank your stubborn ol’ self. Hugs, my friend. Oh, and I’m a fan of Aesop’s Fables as well.

Sorry for the double post. It didn’t look like it did, so I added what I forgot and tried again. That also looked like it hadn’t gone through, but thankfully has. Best to everyone in the upcoming week.

Lyn, sometimes these computers have a mind of their own. I agree, as you know the importance of tenacity and today mine is stretched far too far. Just read my post to Chris and you’ll understand. Love and hope you are resting from the last few weeks. Love, Sue

Hi
All went well
She could see the black blob and said the flashing and lights I saw was the jelly stuff coming away from the back of the eye
So they put three different drops in and an eyeglass thing that went right on my eyeball. There were no tears there .so she said she wasn’t concerned now.she gave me the phone of her secretary to ring or go to A and E at hosp if it happens again
But she is happy with it..so all good..what a worry that was tho
So I’ll pack it in as my eye sore ..it’s my worst eye as well…also blurred from the drops still
It’s those names for things and people we used in our childhood in the family that are somehow important as we get older sue
Chris

Chris dear, somehow, I know you have relief but it is a bit reserved due to the pain. I hope you are something to take for pain or at least a drop that would numb the eye. Did she recommend icing it at all?
How right you are about nicknames. I have been very down since yesterday. We had our garbage disposal more or less blow up and out a pipe under the sink flooding my kitchen floor I had just mopped yesterday morning and spilling garbage all over the doors under the sink and everything under the sink. It happened right at dinner time so dinner was a bit late and over done. We can’t get a plumber out until tomorrow at the earliest so all of the pans, dishes from last night are still there. Jim and I working together took an hour to get the mess up…potato peelings, cornflakes and breakcrumbs I had used to coat the chicken in the oven. Dinner was good if a little overly cooked. It was all too much stress for this tired old lady. I’m down in spirit right now. Love to you and glad your eye is not threatened and pray the pain passes quickly. Love you, Sue

Oh sue what a sh.t thing to happen
How awful to have to clean all that mess. And I know how exhausted you must both be
It’s so depressing to have the kitchen or bathroom out of action and spoiled
I’m impressed that you still managed dinner.. but not surprised ….that’s your tenacity
I hope the plumber comes and sorts it out in one go it’s a long time to go with no sink from yesterday

My eye is easing I did put a cold compress on it
Hope all is sorted and it’s something simple with the sink
Chris

Chris sweet friend, Try freezing some cold washcloths. Glad it’s easing. As far as dinner, I had chicken in oven and the potatoes ready for home style fries and had to cook or they would turn brown…and if I’d put them in water, they’d pop like mad when I did fry them, you know? By the way, the chicken was marvelous. My favorite way to oven fry: soak in milk or buttermilk, roll in mixture of crushed cornflakes, equal amount bread crumbs, seasonings to taste and three tablespoons oil. No oil in pan for oven, med. high temp…so good and healthy. Thoughts for you and hope it eases in your eye. No plumber yet…Jim a bit testy, me, just depressed and worn out. Love, Sue

Well it’s morning here I’ll put some face cloths in the freezer I think they will be colder than the gel mask
I use crushed corn flakes for chicken too.have for years ..I use all corn flakes
Hope today is better for you ..it’s bound to be
My eye is a bit better just gotta get used to this black beetle in my eye that swoops like a jet black crow across the front .
Had lots of floaters for years but more grey and they don’t bother me
Chris

Chris, how frustrating for you. Oh, our eyes..we don’t appreciate them until they go bad like with Sjogren’s. Do you think you will get used to the crow bit with time? I am pleased to hear the pain has eased. It makes one so stressed and so hard to sleep. I am trying to imagine what they did to you and it all sounds miserable but so glad you’re better. Love you much, Sue

Tonie, Tookie, huh? Nope not good for a teen but kinda cute. I think it’s such a sign of love for a parent to pick a cute nickname for a child…it’s so spontaneous and makes you so special.
Oh Judy, Hitting her head on the chimney in her bedroom? Oh my gracious. I know that must be so scary for you and now more work…not that you mind but you already have such a full cup. Surely she can be made to see how her life could change in a moment of carelessness or just because of a slip. I think I’m a bit more careful..we share similar problems..because I saw so many elderly people whose lives were changed forever by an accident of some sort…often in their homes. I know how much you love her and want her to be careful. So frustrating. Give her my love and tell her what I said here. I always have a free hand on our stairs, never go down the stairs when my knees are too bad in the AM, etc. No slippery rugs and other precautions.

Oh the mess we had was overwhelming. I was getting ready to make homefries, had wonderful chicken all coated in the oven , was also going to stick in some cauliflower for a few mins in a dash of oil and parmesan and went over to put the leftover coating down the garbage disposer and Jim had just peeled three potatoes, only three.The stuff popped up the other side so Jim came in to plunge the sink side and then POW. All seemed well and As soon as I turned on the disposal, garbage and a lot of water blew out of both sides of our double sink and flew out of the bottom as well, hitting the cupboard doors under the sink and flooding the floor. We had cornflakes and peelings with water everywhere. I was determined we were going to eat, J was doing his usual, stressing out majorly, you know men.

An hour later we had a washer full of towels with garbage and water washing, we couldn’t wash any dishes because everything under the sink was in pieces. The next day the plumber pulled a six inch long plug of garbage out of the pipe and put it all back together.

I hope and pray B is feeling better and watching what he eats. I hope he gets that opinion over here in the states.
I’m down for the count today with a bout of IBD/IBS and cancelled my PET scan for Friday because the diet restrictions start today. I can’t eat any of the things that make me better, so cancelled. Love you and thinking of you and Judy. Sue

Sue
My goodness such a lot of devastation there
How is the IBDAndIBS
I should rest as much as you can to get over all that..how you needed the words in the blog .and they rightfully .belong to you…
My eyes are easing..went to the optician for glasses today as he wouldn’t do them till I’d been to the hospital….and I have a cataract in the weaker eye and that’s causing a lot of the blurring
Dh no good with his tho has more ointment and has lost some lining to the eyelid
The dr was saying today they give Botox for this condition!

Tonie hope Judy takes all the good advice
And you mite be going on a trip then…..
Look after yourselves for now
Chris

Chris, do you need cataract surgery? Did DH get that eyelash problem on the lower lid fixed somehow? Can’t they remove the lashes? Interesting about the botox. Wonder if they inject the lid itself? hang in there my dear girl.
Yes, my gut a bit better as long as I am careful in what I eat. Did something to my back, bad right now when standing for any time. Love, Sue

Alison(Rosetint) good to hear from you. Holidays great but glad they’re over and hope you’re turned out well. Did you get to be with your kids?
I did hurt my back lifting something, I suspect in the kitchen and been hurting more. Think I may have had another spontaneous fracture of a low vertebra, feel like it. Decor still up but need to work on it a bit at a time.en
Yes, do try that recipe for chicken, it is good without being fried and my DH won’t eat roasted chicken. Do you use buttermilk much in England? Just wondered. Yes, that was quite a night but the chicken and cottage fried potatoes were good. Lots of rain here in good old soggy Oregon. Hope you didn’t overdo too much but know we all did…Love ya, Sue

Im sure i could get buttermilk but its not widely used. Had a lovely time with all four of my children and their partners and of course a lovely first Christmas with 5 month old grandson Arlo. Happy new year to you xx hope your back pain improves.

Hi sue
Well the cataract they will leave till it gets a bit worse,as with the sjogrens it would be troublesome
They are talking about taking the eye lashes out for dh ,we will know more when see the specialist,but I think they would be turning in when they grow again.. maybe that doesn’t happen?
The back I bet you hurt when doing the kitchen fiasco….what a thing to happen so new into the year
Like..my eye went on the 1st….good start too
Nothing on much today..except dh got a crystal ball!! He will use it for his photography..new trend in doing stuff in its reflection
Couldn’t get one from the photoshops..so I said .,I know would a fortune teller know where to get one…..well I found one locally from google ,rang her and she had a spare one….so sold it to us very cheaply.went to her house to get it .nice girl
So that’s been going on most of the day ..photo the garden thru it,upside down it goes….can’t see the point really
I was wondering do they do a book ..crystal fortune gazing for dummies!?
Well hope all have a good weekend and you ibs and back improve sue

Hello all
Well, heck of a week for us here. Ended yesterday with Walmart telling me they would no longer take RX’s from my pain Dr. Pain Dr, he writes pain med rx’s , not aspirins ! Stupid stupid people ! So tired of all this mess with our drugs. We are being treated like druggies.
So anyway. Judy’s appointment wasn’t for surgery, just the prelim before. Next month I take her to Roanoke for the surgery. For now we have had snow, now ice. Tomorrow morning, supposed to be at the pain Dr at 8 am. Hopefully I can get out.
I have had the worse headaches. 5 more months on the antibiotics. Go next month to get tested for carpal tunnel……does it ever end ?
So, no more whining. I am doing well otherwise, just always busy everyday it seems.
Hope you all are doing better. Take care, and remember me in your prayers
Love to all
Tonie

Hello, everyone! I’m sorry to hear of maladies and headaches, literal and situational. Tonie, are your literal headaches tied in to the weather and barometric pressure at all? We’ve had a bad season for that this year, haven’t we? This weather is nuts. Thankfully, this last storm system only knicked us. We had about an inch and a half to 2 inches of snow, no ice. My good friend in the DC area had 6 inches yesterday morning and it continued to snow throughout the day. She didn’t know what they ended up with.

Never a dull moment here. Last week SB got hit with the stomach bug and last Wednesday my step-father was taken by ambulance to the hospital. He is still there. He has COPD and his O2 level had plummeted. Additionally, his blood count was low. There is a bleed somewhere, probably from the Eliquis he was on, but they haven’t been able to do an endoscopy yet to find where it might be due to his respiratory concerns. He has a partial blood clot forming in his leg again, so they have to be careful with meds. They are going with a slow heparin drip so they can adjust, blood tests every 6 hours. Lots going on. Thankfully, they discovered his heart is good, no fluid there now (so, thankfully he could be taken of the Lasix they had put him on), but still fluid in lungs, I believe. Overnights have bee bad for him and he has not had luck with his bipap overnight, so Mom stayed with him last night. Much better night, and he is more alert this morning. Time will tell as to whether they find him well enough to do the endoscopy or not. So… the stress continues, which we all know is not great for those of us with RA (and many other maladies.) I’ve not been sleeping well, am sore and fatigued. I can’t imagine how my Mom is hanging on. Purely because she has to, I am sure. She has also been sleep deprived and having to stay on top of all things medical for him. Thankfully, she is very good at understanding and navigating the medical world. We have some Christmas down, some still up. I hope to get the rest down today. Fingers crossed!

Oh so much for everyone
Lyn
I hope your stepfather improves in hospital there it sounds so worrying and your sb is over that bug
How is your friend now who was so ill and her mother
Tonie you are having a bad time with stuff..is something improving re the lymes and antibiotics
Good you have B there to share it all with as well with this weather now
Sue. How’s you..they will do the cataract when it gets worse..not keen with the dry eyes
Dh is wait8ng to be seen at the hospital
My diver is playing up again
Hope yours is still on the mend
Chris

Chris
My headaches I think are from the Lyme’s. Back on the antibiotics B. Has been working hard for home and for Judy. And we are trying to keep her busy and safe. Days just flyby and I am tired of winter already. How are things over your way ? How’s Dd doing ? Married life good to her ?
Sue, hope you are feeling better. We are supposed to get snow again this weekend. Ugh! I miss Az in the winter.
Everyone take care and stay warm
Tonie

I do hope the headaches will go with the antibiotics now
The weather is getting colder here looked out just now and it’s started to snow a bit..won’t settle it’s only slight
Dh is doing ok but has had flu bad.been ill for two weeks unable to get out of bed,but is much better now but still gets tired and lost her voice
Still go out for cheese scones for breakfast,,but go early when not many there so don’t catch anything going about
I can’t have the flu vac
Chris

Lyn, I am so sorry for what your family is going through. Please know I have been praying for your stepdad. Poor man. Those kinds of conditions are at first so hard to diagnose and then to understand as a patient.
Chris, My sister’s name is Billie and she weighs in at about 70 lbs. now. She is in a very bad state right now. I’m Still here but gut, like yours, has been bad. My sis, my last remaining one is near death. She fell on Sunday and hasn’t been with it since, no food nor drink and is on constant morphine. Please pray for my family and her dear husband who has been trying to care for her before hospice has now helped them a bit more.
Tonie, hope you’re hanging in there since our recent chat and Judy is improving. Love to all of you and please, be patient with me. I haven’t the strength to write more.
Chemo today, dentist yesterday. I’m empty tonight. Sue

Sue
My prayers for all your family and you sue.
So sad for billie and her husband they sound devoted ,how thin billie must be
And so far away
Why can’t life be easier for us all
My gut has reached a plateau if I keep on white bread white pasta white everything and not much of it
No fruit and no veg and only tinned carrots (they are soft) and potatoes (no skins)
Also ham ,cheeseand chicken
That’s the lot…but you can vary the mix of it all and with that I can keep to a low level of the pain with occasional bouts of IBS which affect the diver and have to then starve for two days ….I’m on a soft diet anyway
Hope you are sleeping right now and gaining strength from it
It so wearing all the hosp appts
Chris

Chris
So sorry for the severity of your pain and especially your diet. I pray for your recovery . I can’t imagine having to limit my intake like that. ESP the white bread….ugh. I like mine full of seeds and twigs and such, lol.
Sue, as always, prayers for you and yours.
Love
Tonie

To all my dear blog friends, my beloved sister Billie Falkner Israel passed out of her state of peace into a world without peace, as she left this realm, earth to the next. Please pray for wonderful DH of over 60 years and her son, daughter and numerous grands and great grands. I was very close to her as she was the one of my three sisters who was closest to me in age, eight years older than me. My heart lies heavy for those of us who will miss her old, cute, funny and sweet self but know she is in a place without pain…finally. Thank you for your prayers, Sue

Sue, I am so sorry for your loss. Best for her, hard for those left behind. You have my thoughts and my prayers.
Chris, hoping you find some relief soon. Tonie, hang in there with Judy and B.
Thank you all for your concern and prayers for my stepfather. He came home from the hospital on Wednesday. Endoscopy is scheduled for Feb. 2, I believe. His blood counts were improving, so docs were feeling good about postponing until he was home and had a chance to improve his breathing. He is looking much better, but of course it is all relative. He is not, nor will ever again be well. COPD, heart and vascular issues labeled on his discharge diagnosis as acute and severe. He started really improving in there when my Mom started staying overnight in there, so as long as there are no acute emergencies, will probably do his best at home. I have been doing all I can for Mom. It is hard to get her to sit and rest (I know, shocker), but I have been doing what I can. The morning we knew he’d be discharged sometime in the afternoon I went down and completely vacuumed their house top to bottom. Funny thing, I said that to Mom and she didn’t realize I was speaking literally. I also did their lower level, which they only use for large family gatherings like Christmas, and hadn’t been vacuumed since Christmas. I also washed the bed cover and shams in the room where kitty Zoey had her things. Unfortunately, my stepfather thinks he has developed an allergy to cats, so Zoey had to be rehomed. Hence, my desire to vacuum as best as possible. This, sadly, has been another huge blow to Mom. She and Zoey were very close and had a special relationship. Thankfully, DD was able to take Zoey in so Mom can see her, if and when she can manage enough time away from my stepfather. DH is amazed by Mom’s strength. I’m keeping tabs on her. I know that “let down” will occur. She’ll need extra support.
Best to all!

Lyn, I feel so badly about your Mom’s cat Zoey. I had dear tiny Clancy with me this AM when I read these remarks and could feel his comfort so much. I am pleased she can see her from time to time for a hug. I am relieved your FIL is home but must agree the future does not look promising. I will pray he has time on this earth if he can be comfortable. My sister had fracture after fracture of the vertebrae and so much pain over the years. She had Valley Fever, a fungal disease of the lungs many years back and had a lobe removed, but still she went back to smoking. was always so much fun and always into mischief. The nephews and nieces all loved her so much for that but in recent years, she couldn’t remember even the names of her great grands. She was married to the dearest man on earth for 65 years and now, he can rest for awhile.
What a good daughter you are to vacuum. It is always so much better and uplifting to come home when stressed to a clean house. Thank you for your remarks and check out my post from last night and you can see where my niece, Jana Israel Ljepava posted their wedding pic. I was her maid of honor when I was 13 years old and she was mine when I married Jim many years later. They had an interesting life, were in the peace Corps in Uruguay as a family when the kids were teens. Billie’s gardening was her hobby but not so much in recent years. Death hurts us so much but thank God we Christians and other faiths have the promise of the forever after in peace. Love you much, Sue

Chris dear, I am so sorry you still have so many diet restrictions but can completely understand. I have always believe I have gastroparesis and it is possible you do, also because so many folks with Sjogren’s do. I feel full immediately and have always fought constipation, daily. I’ve had potato soup today, yogurt and will have some butter milk. I am surprised not to see eggs on your list of “I do’s”. Can you eat them. Do you have trouble with yeast breads? I know I often do and at other times don’t. It’s a rough way of life but it is the one we have. Thank God, most days, for that. Love you , Sue

Hi all
Your step father going home will be better for him now it’s all easier for him and so much better for your mum
But you must rest if you can
Sue
Yea I forgot eggs love em
Well I do get a bit fed up but have them a lot
I can have yogurts but only ones with sugar not any sweeteners…that’s difficult and also no fruit bits even vanilla can have seed pods
I’ve found one which I can have…..but because of the prediabetic thing can only have small amounts
So…….I have had cystitis quite bad the usual blood in it…put me on antibiotics strong ones as it was a bad infection
Didn’t think they were going to work but have just started too
Only thing is these are the only ones I don’t get a rash to but last time I had them the diver came bad with bleeding
So fingers crossed…
The white sliced bread is the only one I can have and I seem ok on that. ..would love to have granary bread…but that would put me no good
How’s you tonie
Chris